The present invention relates to a milking parlor with a work area for an operator of the milking parlor and a platform elevated relative to said area, which forms a standing and walking area for the animal to be milked. The present invention further relates to a method for manufacturing said milking parlor.
In modern-day milking technology, in particular for use with large herds, the milk is usually extracted in milking parlors. For reasons of ergonomics these are configured such that the animal to be milked is standing on a platform and the operator, in a work area separated by barrier grids from the standing and walking area configured on said platform, and with the floor lying beneath said standing and walking area.
In the prior art of the relevant category, the platform which is preferably located at the two longitudinal sides of the work area, is a solid structure. A milking parlor may be formed e.g. as a herringbone milking parlor or an autotandem or a side-by-side milking parlor (SBS). The platform forms the walkway for the animals to be milked configured e.g. as a drive-through alley. In this case, a number of milking places arranged on the platform one behind the other may be occupied with animals to be milked independently from one another. Each milking place is accessible from outside for an animal to be milked. Or else, the milking places may be configured on the platform in a so-called herringbone arrangement. In this case the entire platform surface is used both as a standing and as a walking area for the animals to be milked. The animals are standing substantially oblique or perpendicular (SBS) to the longitudinal extension of the walking alley with their rear ends in the work area.
The operator can reach the udder of the animals to be milked through the barrier grids located at the platform edge, perform placement of the milking unit from there and/or supervise automatic placement. For this purpose the operator must be able to approach the platform edge next to the work area as closely as possible. Based on the system there are located, in particular on the platform side wall facing the work area, media lines in particular for discharging the extracted milk and for connecting a pulsator provided at each milking place associated with a milking unit and connected with a subpressure source. The side wall may furthermore comprise electric supply lines and sensor lines for controlling and/or checking particular milking places or the entire milking installation.
The transition between the work area and the platform, usually above the standing and walking area, is furthermore frequently provided with display and input devices for each milking place for controlling the pulsator provided and/or for reading performance data on the animal currently at the milking place. In view of ready access to the udders of the animals to be milked these devices are located above the head of the user which is unsatisfactory for reasons of ergonomics.
Manufacturers of milking parlors of the type indicated above do make efforts to suitably configure a so-called bordered pit edge as a boundary to the platform side wall and the walking area on the work area side so as to provide neat connections, holders and guides for the different cables and devices of the milking parlor. Nevertheless there is a plurality of lines, hoses, and connections on the sidewall on the operator side. These may interfere with neatness and obstruct free access to the animal and furthermore they may spoil the outward appearance of the milking parlor. Moreover the many edges and recesses between and behind lines and connections offer opportunities for dirt and bacteria to accumulate, inhibiting the cleaning and disinfecting of the milking parlor which is indispensable for hygienic reasons.